Orlando 1992

Johanna Steinmetz, Chicago Tribune: What it lacks in coherence it makes up for in sheer spectacle. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: Though visually impressive and assured, it is the hollowest of successes, all chic set design, smug posturing and self-satisfied attitude. Read more

Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel: Potter possesses a natural gracefulness in presentation that helps a little but, finally, not nearly enough. Orlando is vague when she means it to be mysterious, coy when it ought to be witty, familiar when it should be bold. Read more

Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: The good news about this historical vaudeville is that Orlando's consciousness, like his/her gender, is a delightful work-in-progress. Read more

John Hartl, Seattle Times: Reminiscent of the low-budget lushness of the early films of Peter Greenaway and Ken Russell, Orlando could turn out to be the art-house smash of the summer. Read more

Vincent Canby, New York Times: This ravishing and witty spectacle invades the mind through eyes that are dazzled without ever being anesthetized. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: Compared with Potter's bold, beautiful, original, and witty first feature, The Gold Diggers, this is safe, crowd-flattering stuff, the Driving Miss Daisy of art pictures -- a film with practically no ideas at all, but lots of fancy trimmings. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: The movie deconstructs Woolf in a smug, didactic way, using her whimsical fantasy as the vehicle for a belabored satirical assault upon "the patriarchy." Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: See Orlando for its fabulous costumes, fascinating look at changing eras, and impressive performance by Tilda Swinton. Viewing this film for other reasons will almost certainly lead to a negative impression. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: This is the kind of movie you want to talk about afterward. Read more

Dan Kois, Slate: A silly and serious work of art that isn't afraid to entertain. Read more

Wally Hammond, Time Out: It's a critical work -- in the sense that it comments wryly on such things as representations of English history, sexuality/androgyny and class -- but made in the spirit of a love poem to both Woolf and the England that made us. Read more

Keith Uhlich, Time Out: Swinton's androgynous affect has rarely been better exploited: It's a kick to see her transition among Orlando's numerous identities, whether wooing a Russian princess or submitting to the charms of the horseback-riding Shelmerdine. Read more

David Stratton, Variety: Orlando provides exciting, wonderfully witty entertainment with glorious settings and costumes and Tilda Swinton's sock performance in the title role. Read more

Joe Brown, Washington Post: Orlando would be unimaginable without Swinton in the title role. Her radiant, androgynous beauty makes every scene look like an Old Master portrait, and her charismatic character is touched with grace, gravity and a nimble humor. Read more

Rita Kempley, Washington Post: Sly and sumptuous. Read more